Oman

Muscat: With vegetation drying up in their breeding areas, no presence of desert locusts was recorded in surveyed areas and in any other regions of the country during August, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The desert locust situation remained dormant during August. Survey operations were carried out West of Adam near Ras al Jabel in Dakhiliyah region and Musandam governorate, the ministry said in its bulletin with regard to the situation.

Citing the Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) of United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation, the ministry said that the desert locust situation is under control. However, it asserted that all efforts would be made to monitor the situation on a regular basis.

Commenting on the weather and ecology conditions in August 2014 which is also a factor with regard to locusts, the ministry said that only limited rain fell during first 20 days of August in Yanqul, Dank and Ibri in Dhahera Region, Muhadha and Buraimi in Buraimi Region and Bahla, Izki and al Hamra in Dakhiliyah Region. Mudhaibi and Al Qabel in the Sharqiyah Region along with Sohar in the Batinah Region also recieved light rain.

Vegetation continued to dry up in the desert locust breeding areas where there was moist dry soil. According to the satellite images of the vegetation for climate and desert locust monitoring, the period from July 28 to August 12 indicated that the vegetation is drying up in various breeding areas of the Northern and Southern parts of Oman. It said that other reports about the first ten days of August also indicated that the vegetation is drying up in breeding areas.

The ministry said that in the near future no significant developments are likely. The Locust Control Centre has informed all survey and control officers in various regions to use devices and save the information, and carefully monitor the desert locusts in their prospective areas on a regular basis.

About the situation in the neighbouring countries, particularly Yemen, it said that according to the report received recently, there were very few immature and mature adult locusts that were reported in Wadi Hayran, north West of Suq Abs.

On August 13, an immature locust swarm and immature and mature locust swarms were reported having settled in Al Azaz area North West of Tor Al Baha. On August 16, desert locust swarms arrived in Mokheras area North East Zinjibar.

On August 18, light to moderate rain reported fell in Wadi Hadhramout, and moderate to heavy rains with floods fell in many desert locust breeding areas in Marib governorate. Additional breeding is likely to occur in areas of recent rainfall.